


Five Summers

by palateens



Series: It Really Ain't That Bad [1]
Category: South Park
Genre: Basically everyone's gay - Freeform, Gay Sex, Just really gay, M/M, Non-binary Kenny, Polyamory, Queer Character, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-26
Updated: 2016-09-06
Packaged: 2018-08-11 03:21:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7874194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palateens/pseuds/palateens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Craig Tucker is  seriously over his bullshit hometown. It’s the summer before middle school. Everyone who went to summer camp last year is going back. Which means another summer trapped here with nothing but McCormick to keep him occupied.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenny's eleven with no friends left in town for the summer. Except, of course, for Craig Tucker.

Kenny is eleven and he sort of hates his life. His friends have left for a solid two months for summer camp. Kyle and Stan because their families can afford it. Cartman makes his mom save for months to be able to pay for him to go too. Fatass has never been known to let anyone have something he can’t. His friends can be shitty anyway, so it’s just as well that he gets a break from them.

The real issue is what to do with his free time. Without those assholes getting him in life-threatening situations, who’s gonna kill him now? Not like he would willingly give up a month or so of his life to hang out with Satan and Chris just because he’s bored. There’s only so much sex an eleven year old can get too. A week of wandering around leads Kenny to the last place he’d ever thought to go—the library. 

He’s hoping to find some anatomy books or old Playboys hidden among the chronicles of people who’ve lived and died not nearly as much as he has. He spends a solid twenty minutes meandering through the stacks when a voice comes up from behind him. 

“Can I help you?” a disenchanted growl interrupts his searching. 

Kenny looks over his shoulder carelessly. Craig Tucker, the last person on his list of half-friends, sports a scowl and a lanyard that reads volunteer. His blue jacket has been shed but his poof ball hat remains. Like a security blanket, Kenny thinks, tugging off the hood of his orange parka self-consciously. 

“Not really, but thanks,” the blond smirks. 

Craig stares blankly for a moment before sighing. “Whatever, McCormick. Don’t hurt yourself back here and don’t get me fired.” 

Kenny salutes his back as the taller boy saunters off. He stays in the biology section for another hour before giving up. He resolves to come back tomorrow to find something that truly peaks his interest. 

He comes back every day for three weeks. Trying some stories here and there, never really finding his perfect genre. This doesn’t stop him from reading, however. One day he’s skimming through _Pride & Prejudice_ when Craig decides to re-initiate contact. 

“Are you gonna borrow that or what?” he spats. 

Kenny shrugs, “does it matter? I’m still reading it.” 

“You really have nothing better to do than read in a library? No cities to destroy or lives to ruin?” 

“I'm just a tag-along, Tucker,” Kenny chuckles. “The real trouble makers are having the time of their lives at some shitty sleep away camp.” 

Craig nods before turning away to leave. The next day when Kenny peruses the graphic novel section the raven-haired boy hands him a book. _Pride Prejudice and Zombies_ the title reads. 

“Huh?” Kenny looks at Craig like he’s grown a second head. 

“It’s a remake of Pride & Prejudice…with zombies,” the boy looks everywhere but at Kenny. 

“Is it good?” the blond questions honestly. 

“It’s shit…but you’d like it,” he revises. 

“Sweet, thanks man,” Kenny grins easily. 

When he thinks Craig is gone he slides down against the bookshelf. Kenny tears through the book in an hour. His speed reading has improved tremendously…and he basically read this book yesterday. He doesn’t notice the older boy come to check on him twenty minutes later; peeking intently through a case. 

This dance between them continued for a week or so. Craig would initiate contact under the guise of criticizing Kenny or offering him a book. One time, Kenny comes with some food he swiped from the farmer’s market that morning. He wordlessly offers Craig a peach and a seat next to him as he reads _A Series of Unfortunate Events_. 

“Any good?” the taller boy looks over his shoulder as he’s making his way through the eighth chapter. 

“Definitely,” Kenny stops to tell Craig about the plot. His hands are animated as he pantomimes the book thus far. 

It’s a Saturday, so there are so many goddam high schoolers volunteering to meet graduation requirements. Craig lets the blond read the rest of the book out loud, and the next. By closing, they’ve gotten to the middle of the third book. Sometimes Kenny reads silently while Craig takes his lunch break. He’s gotten accustomed to bringing a little extra, knowing Kenny will inevitably be starving from giving his breakfast to Karen. Other days, they take turns reading out loud. On days when the blond shows up at opening, Craig will start sorting the overnight returns while playing the library’s old stereo. Kenny will hum along or sing softly to whatever’s in the CD player. It’s almost always Fleetwood Mac. Craig learns to not hate folksy mountain music so much. 

When August rears its ugly head, neither has admitted to their tentative friendship. Because, yes, theirs is a dynamic that transcends conventional conversations and getting to know each other. They’ve spent their whole lives orbiting around each other. They don’t need a crash course in the other’s likes and dislikes. It’s mutually understood that talking about their families (other than their little sisters) is off limits. Just like Kenny knows Craig’s favorite color is red, and Craig knows that Kenny is deathly allergic to peanuts. 

Their friends, who all went to the same camp they discovered, are set to return the next morning. In a week, school will recommence and it will be like this summer never happened. 

“I don’t want to,” the shorter boy blurts out in the middle of Craig reading _Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone_. 

The older stares curiously at him for a moment, “what?” 

“Forget,” Kenny mumbles, avoiding eye contact. “You’re like, the least shitty friend I’ve ever had.” 

Craig grasps his chin and forces them to make eye contact. After a minute of intense gazing, the raven-haired child groans. “Don’t be a bitch, McCormick. I’m here reading this overrated piece of dribble because I can. No one’s forcing me to hang out with your sorry ass.” 

The blond laughs a little too hard at his statement. “You do care,” he taunts before putting his head on the taller’s shoulder. 

Sixth grade proves to be easier than Kenny expected. He gets a kick out of Kyle fuming when he gets a better grade on their summer book report than him. Most people have a hard time detecting Craig’s humor. So it’s a surprise to everyone the first time Craig makes a legitimate pun at lunch. Even stranger, Kenny’s muffled laugh disrupts the awkward silence. Overall, he’s doing better than he has in a while. Even when his friends prove to be shitty, he has something he didn’t before. Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should stop looking through tumblr, it's given me too many plot bunnies.


	2. Two

Craig Tucker is twelve and seriously over his bullshit hometown. It’s the summer before middle school. Everyone who went to summer camp last year is going back. Which means another summer trapped here with nothing but McCormick to keep him company. To top it all off, his asshole optometrist made him get glasses. His magnified eyes and braces—also a recent addition—make him look like a fucking nerd. He’s been staring at his reflection for the past fifteen minutes. Baffled by the person that used to be him. 

“C’mon asshole,” Kenny shouts on the other side of the door. “We’re going to be late, Tucker.” 

Craig flips him off, only to realize that the blond can’t see it. “Fuck off, McCormick. I don’t give a shit.” 

“If you don’t open this door, I’m telling your mom about your stash,” the younger threatens sternly. 

Craig’s bedroom door flies open, “you wouldn’t dare.” 

Instead of arguing, the blond snatches his friend’s wrist and drags him out the door. Kenny pulled a favor and got them hired as City Wok’s delivery boys. It’ll be a summer of biking like crazy and the pays’ fucking shit at three an hour. But Craig knows the younger boy had a rough time finding an employer who’d hire two twelve-year-old’s. Despite his father’s recent promotion, he could use all the help he can get bribing his way out of obscurity next school year. 

The busiest hours are the lunch rush, dinner, and every hour from eight pm until closing. Mr. Kim tends to make them wash dishes when people aren’t calling in. The process of dipping cup after cup into bleach is painful at best. Kenny offers to do it on most days.  
One day in July, Kenny’s late for work. Craig covers for him by saying he spotted a Japanese man that morning. Craig is forced to do most of the dishes by himself. Kenny comes in a half an hour before the lunch rush. 

“Where the fuck have you been?” The raven-haired boy keeps his voice monotone to hide his concern and mild irritation. 

Kenny’s gasping for air, like he’s been running a marathon. He stares dazedly at Craig for a moment before his mind catches up with his location. 

“Fuck, man,” he whispers hoarsely. “Sorry, I’ll finish those for you.” He crosses the room and takes a glass out of his friend’s hand. He shoves his hands under the bleach, cringing slightly. He squeezes the glass until it shatters. His face twitches in a small grin. Like he’s happy to be feeling the chemicals eating away at his skin.

“Jesus Fucking Christ, McCormick,” the older rips Kenny’s hands out of the tub. “Where have y-you…you know what, don’t tell me.” 

The blond stares up at him, confused, then back at his hands. His trance seems to be broken by the image of his hands cracked and throbbing. Bloody even, by the looks of some of the discoloration in his hands. 

“Sorry,” the smaller of the two trembles slightly. “Rough night.” 

Craig rolls his eyes for effect. His coldness is more of a pretense at this point. He takes Kenny’s hands into his own. Staring intently, he has a sudden urge to nullify the blond’s pain. Both seem a little shocked when he pulls them up towards his mouth, kissing each finger and scratch delicately. He continues anyway, not neglecting a single millimeter of McCormick’s skin. 

He grabs an old apron Mr. Kim told him to throw out this morning, ripping it into strips. He wraps the wounds on his friend gently. When he’s done he secures it with some electrical tape they have lying around. 

“Try not to let those fall off, idiot,” he murmurs. 

Kenny nods solemnly. They don’t talk about it that day, or the next. Kenny comes in late a total of two more times that summer. Both occasions he has a look in his eyes. Craig isn’t sure if the expression is full of fear, relief or frustration. He tries to not let it get to him, but inevitably it does. He learns quickly that Kenny’s feelings are more nuanced than other people give him credit for. 

They’re twelve on the cusp of secondary school. Spending the summer outside has tanned Craig’s skin considerably. His first two paychecks go towards contacts. He scowls for the most part so no one will see his braces. Kenny’s grown two inches this summer but it’s nothing on Craig’s growth-spurt. His dad compliments him every day like being a giant is something astounding rather than a nuisance. Craig thinks if he keeps his posture decent he could be a cool kid by October. 

He quits his job for the school year while Kenny switches to part time work. Karen doesn’t go hungry like she used to, and she gets new sneakers for her birthday. Craig sends his birthday present for her through Kenny, a new winter coat. The next day Craig has his second kiss ever.  
It’s not like it was when he and Tweek were in elementary school and confused. It’s not wet and awkward; it’s warm and full of tenderness. Kenny has to stay on his tip toes just to maintain contact. Craig snakes his arms around the boy’s waist, steadying him against his larger torso. When they break apart, Kenny murmurs a soft thank you. 

“Don’t mention it,” the older’s face reddens considerably. 

They spend the majority of the school year pretending that they don’t sit too close together. They don’t acknowledge that their hands drift towards each other on the seat of their usual cafeteria table. No one finds it weird that while they’re all getting in fights and making up on a regular basis, Craig and Kenny drift together.


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Craig's and the gang are thirteen. He wonders when everyone's going to get their heads out of their asses.

Kyle’s thirteen when he and his childhood friends get sent home early from camp. After three years, Cartman finally managed to get them all banned for life. That stupid son of a bitch took some friendly camp Olympics and turned it into a massacre. He feels sorry for those poor college students who had to do damage control for all the arson…and stolen pigs running around. 

It’s the middle of June and everyone’s on a bus leaving Estes Park. Token and Stan are arguing about the latest superhero movie and whether or not it will be good. Butters, bless his soul, is trying to convince Tweek to take his anxiety medicine already. With all the chaos of yesterday, the counselors hadn’t remembered to give him his pills. Clyde’s pretending his isn’t jerking Eric off in the back seat. Jimmy’s too busy perfecting his written satire to make conversation. 

Kyle’s especially miffed that after a year of everyone growing apart, they didn’t get long to reunite. 

“Dude,” Stan pokes his forehead until he has Kyle’s full attention. 

“What?” the redhead swats his hand away. 

“Who’d win in a fight Catwoman or Harley Quinn?” 

Kyle shakes his head in mild distaste. “Who the fuck cares? Doesn’t it bother you that we’re spending our summer in town doing nothing?” 

Stan glances at Token momentarily, something that irritates Kyle to no end. Stan and Token had computer science together last semester. They’d bonded over some assignment that was ‘impossible’ or some shit like that. Ever since this pool party at Bebe’s house a month ago, Stan had been acting weird. Kyle caught him staring in his direction at least once a day now. Whenever the redhead caught him, his best friend would shake it off like it was nothing. 

“—enny,” Stan’s nattering brings him out of his contemplation. 

“Sorry, what?” 

Stan smiles, he always likes catching Kyle off guard. “I said we’ll probably get to hang out with Kenny.”

“Right,” Kyle blushes in guilt. “I kinda forgot Kenny doesn’t come with us to camp.” 

“Craig too,” Token adds, earning an eye roll from Kyle. 

“Gah, they’re probably fucking by now,” Tweek rambles long enough for Butters to hand him his meds. He takes them without thinking, almost an instinctive reaction to having meds in his hand. 

“Why would they be fucking? Craig and Kenny hate each other,” Kyle reasons. 

“Dude, that was like, years ago. You really haven’t noticed?” Stan eyes him wearily. 

Kyle bites his lip, analyzing any evidence he can pull from his memory. “Shit, I’m an oblivious idiot.” 

“Well that’s obvious,” Token laughs. He quiets down when Stan shoots him a warning look. 

“M-maybe they’re not ready to c-c-come out,” Jimmy adds absent minded. 

“Who cares what those assholes are up to,” Cartman barks after a not so subtle moan. 

“Sure thing, kettle,” Kyle banters back. 

“Hey!” Eric growls “I’m not gay Kyle!” 

“So Clyde’s what—a girl?” 

“I could be, bigot,” Clyde snorts. He’s slowly thinning out after the weight he gained last school year. He’s less inclined to spend hours watching television and swapping hand jobs with Cartman when there’s water sports involved. 

“Whatever,” Kyle snaps. “The sooner we get off this bus, the sooner Cartman can make up for shitting on our entire summer.” 

xXx

Craig is lying under a goddam tree. Kenny’s using his chest as a pillow. They’re both coming down from a great high. Ever since weed became legalized, he hasn’t been scared to smoke before he goes into town. Kenny’s describing the premise of some anime—Fairy Tale or something like that—and why they should watch it at Craig’s place while his parents are away. The explanation is all over the place, but Craig gets his friend’s excitement. That’s all that really matters, if it makes Kenny happy. 

City Wok’s been closed for the last two weeks due to pest problems. They’ve been working odd jobs for Mr. Tweak. Mainly getting coffee from the meth lab behind Kenny’s house. Doing illegal shit pays surprisingly well. He’s carding a hand through the blond’s shaggy hair while admiring Kenny’s cut offs and blouse. That’s been happening a lot lately, the girl clothes that is. Not that Craig gives a shit, gender roles are a joke. And the look suits his friend. Ken looks weirdly masculine and feminine at the same time. Perfect harmony, Craig would say if it didn’t sound so cheesy. 

“Craigster,” the younger catches his attention. 

“Don’t call me that,” a blush mars his otherwise tan skin. 

Kenny sits up, resting their chin once again on Craig. They stare curiously at Craig for a moment, a warm grin creeping up on their face. Craig curses internally, that smile will be the death of him. 

“I asked if you wanna go to the mall,” Kenny reiterates. 

“Why?” the taller boy sits up carefully. 

His friend shrugs happily, “next week we’ll be back to the grind. Why don’t we enjoy being free?” 

“You’re a sap,” the raven-haired teen shakes his head. Once he’s on his feet, he offers Kenny his hand. He knows the younger has no problem standing up. It’s about the thought, though. 

The gesture makes Kenny swoon a little. They feel brave, so they stretch up to kiss Craig’s cheek. Public displays of affection isn’t something they do often, but it becomes more frequent every day. Kenny’s been tearing down his walls for years. It was only a matter of time before they get what they’re looking for—Craig’s heart. 

“I’ll buy you a dress,” the taller claims when they’re a block away from the mall. 

“Are you still high?” Kenny snorts. “Don’t do that. Don’t…spend your money on me.” 

Kenny starts to walk ahead of him. He catches the blonde’s hand, squeezing it firmly. “One, don’t tell me who to spend my money on. Two, you’re probably the only thing or person worth spending money on in this god forsaken town. You…and Karen and Ruby.” 

He doesn’t give Kenny the opportunity to protest further. Instead, he lifts up Kenny bridal style and continues to the mall. For their part, the shorter pretends to be offended by act. They both pretend that they aren’t something more than friends. They pretend because they’re in middle school and what the fuck do they know about love? Or lust even. This could all come crashing down in a nanosecond and three years of intricately circling around each other will have gone to waste. 

They’re in JC Penny, Craig’s found a seat in shoes across from the junior’s section while Kenny tries shit out in a changing room, when their equilibrium is tested for the first time. A shout that’s unmistakably Clyde’s beckons his attention towards the entrance to the rest of the mall. The raven-haired boy, in a very un-Craig-like move, visibly pales when he sees their friend group home early and headed in his direction. 

“What the hell, man,” Token comes up giving him a large hug. As if he hasn’t seen Craig just a few weeks before. “We tried calling you three times already. Why didn’t you pick up?” 

“My phones with—” the taller boy cuts himself off. Fuck, he always lends Kenny his phone when they hang out. It’s like second nature. 

“Hey guys!” 

Everyone looks behind Craig. There stands Kenny fucking McCormick in a dress. Not just any dress, a short lilac sundress with a white top and sweetheart neckline. The skirt is pleated and made of chiffon. It’s so fucking girly and Craig doesn’t think he’s ever seen anything as beautiful as Kenny right now. Being petite, but a badass to not show fear in the sight of his peers, and all around so fucking happy. 

“Ha! Look guys! Kenny’s in a dress!” Cartman proclaims the obvious giddily. 

“Ken?” Stan croaks a bit. “Dude, what are you doing?” 

“What does it look like?” Kenny’s tone is cheery to compensate for the dangerous glare they’re giving one of his oldest friends. 

As they’ve gotten older, the dynamic between Kenny and their best friends has evolved. Well, mostly, Stan and Kyle have grown into something akin to siblings. Eric, meanwhile, has been relegated to douchebag cousin or something. Kenny knows Stan’s just reverting to ‘protective older brother’ mode. But honestly, he doesn’t always have to try to act so macho. 

“Ok this doesn’t have to get out of hand." There Kyle goes, always stopping Stan or Eric (sometimes) from letting their ideas from getting the better of them. “Now clearly Kenny likes what they’re wearing so if anyone has any objections you can go home now. Isn’t that right Ken?” 

Eric mutters something about daywalkers and their pesky pets while Kenny practically topples Kyle. Attacking him with hugs and chaste kisses. They kinda missed his friends. They've decided on the dress they're wearing, and the prospect of walking out in it. They grabs their clothes from the changing room. When Craig pulls out his debit card at the cash wrap, Stan protests again. Demanding to know why he’s paying for Kenny’s dress. 

Craig stares him down in sheer condescension. But for as much as he hated Marsh sometimes, he had a point. Maybe to everyone else he’s just the gangly stoner who gravitates around this kid in the drama department for some indescribable reason. Kenny gazes between the cashier and him, expecting him to both speak up and disappoint them in some way. Fuck that, Craig has never been that person to Kenny and he’s not about to start.

“What does it look like Marsh? I’m buying my significant other a goddam present.” 

Kyle’s mouth falls halfway to the ground, Stan balks only slightly. Kenny triumphantly smirks as they swipe Craig’s card out of his hand.

Eric pipes up indignantly, “is there anyone in this fucking group who isn’t gay?” 

Token answers a confused, “I don’t think so?” Jimmy agrees quietly. 

“You mean gay as in LGBTQIA or just fucking another boy Eric?” Butters clarifies. 

“Dammit Butters,” Cartman rubs his temples. “Yes you and your gay haircut count.” 

The rest of the summer falls into place like an old glove. Kenny and Craig go back to work, everyone else is left to their own devices. The group often alternate hosting each other on weekends to keep things interesting. Kenny keeps wearing whatever they want and Craig keeps kissing them senselessly. Pronouns slip away from Craig’s vocabulary like they’re going extinct. ‘He’ becomes Kenny or Ken or they when people insist on being dumb. It makes Kenny fall a bit in love with Craig. 

Kyle pretends to not know that Stan’s ogling him. Stan pretends to not to notice Kyle flirting back. Clyde pretends he’s in a real, loving relationship. Eric pretends to not be falling in love with his fuck buddy. Tweek pretends to not be jealous that Craig’s moving on. Token pretends to not be overly worried for Tweek’s wellbeing. Butter pretends that he even knows what he is anymore, not that it matters much to him. Jimmy…gets a last minute application in for a summer camp in California. So everyone skypes him in on weekends and mercilessly makes fun of him for working towards a career while his friends are enjoying being young. 

They all float around in their own fantasies. And for now, life goes on peacefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be putting up the next chapter within the next day or so. Feel free to read the one-shot "Changing of the Seasons" in the meantime. It's not /vital/ to the plot...yet. But it will make the jump to chapter 4 make more sense.


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tweek's fourteen the first time he says I love you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic has a gay sex tag for a reason. But they're also 14 so it's not the whole shebang.

Craig is fourteen the first time he realizes he’s in love. He’s at home babysitting Ruby. Kenny’s brought over Karen for a play date (read: their parents are fighting again). Craig’s parents left him a credit card to order Chinese food. But after two summers working for City Wok, he knows to just order pizza. Karen and Ruby are outside, messing around in Craig’s old tree house, when he and Kenny hear a shriek. They bolt out of the living room to the backyard. They follow Karen’s fearful gaze to Ruby dangling from a high branch. Her little arms and legs clinging desperately to the wood.

  
Kenny wastes no time thinking, they start scrambling up the tree barefoot. Meanwhile Craig hugs Karen and asks her how this happened. The girl recounts how they had dared each other to see who could climb the highest. Ruby won by a lot, but continued until she lost her nerve. When Kenny gets up to Ruby’s level, they reach out an arm and beckon her.

  
“Come on, sweetie,” Kenny coaxes. “I’m gonna get you down ok?”

  
The strawberry blonde shakes her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “It’s too high, Kenny.”

  
“I know Ruby, but that’s why you gotta come with me. Just take it slow. Start by moving your legs a little closer ok?”

  
She attempts to, but any movement of her footing sends fear and adrenaline shooting through her body. “I’m sorry, I can’t,” she cries harder.

  
Kenny sighs, assessing briefly if they would die from this height if anything happened. The chances seemed pretty unlikely, so it's sort of a good news bad news situation. They take a deep breath. “I’m coming to you, Ruby. Don’t move. When I tell you to, wrap yourself around me ok?”

  
She nods her head, sniffling as she did. Kenny is concerned about the amount of weight the tree could support, but didn’t let on for Ruby’s sake. They slowly lower themselves onto the branch. Ruby isn't too far off. They inch over slowly, keeping themselves balanced on the tree limb. Then once on top off Karen’s position, they hang themselves underneath her; effectively shielding her from the ground below.

  
“Ok now,” Kenny instructs. Ruby throws her arms around their neck. She nearly misses kicking them when she tries to wrap her legs tightly around Kenny’s waist. Not that they mind, the poor kid is scared shitless.

  
Kenny works meticulously to get them back on the trunk. Then, they carefully shimmy down, mindful of Ruby hanging off of their torso like a monkey. Craig, meanwhile, is on the ground, nervously watching, a hand squeezing Karen’s shoulder in comfort. The entire time, Kenny keeps Ruby distracted. Asking her about her favorite thing, driving down to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. By the time Kenny is close enough to the ground to jump off, Ruby is engrossed in her explanation of the dietary habits of giraffes. She doesn't notice they're safe until Kenny tells her she can let go now.

  
Ruby hugs Kenny gleefully, kissing their cheek in thanks, before jumping off them. Craig checks her all over for bumps or bruises. Deeming her acceptable, he does the same for Kenny.

  
“That was stupid,” Craig reprimands. “You could’ve died, dipwad. What were you thinking?”

  
“She’s just a kid,” Kenny reasons. “Don’t be so hard on her.”

  
The older teen snorts. “I’m talking to you, Ken.”

  
Kenny gapes. Craig instructs the girls to go put on a movie inside. He watches them walk slide the porch door closed before whipping back to Kenny. Glaring at them with a mix of anguish and irritation. For their part, Kenny sucks at confrontations. Mainly because they tend to end them in fisticuffs, so they’ll keep quiet for now. But it’s kind of fucking hard to when it feels like Craig’s about to give them one hell of a lecture.

  
Craig sighs, resolve crumbling under Kenny’s perplexed stare. “You don’t fucking get it,” the boy mutters.

  
The blonde sighs, “it’s not a big deal, dude. Ruby was in trouble, I’m a stronger climber. What were we supposed to do?”

  
“Maybe call fucking 911? Or my parents or some fucking adult that could handle shit like that.” He scowls.

  
“I handled it just fine,” Kenny spits indignantly.

  
Craig’s getting angrier by the second. He runs his hand through his hair, trying to calm his rage. “You could’ve gotten hurt!”

  
“But I didn’t,” they insist. “It’s not a big deal, just say thank you and get fucking over it.”

  
“No,” he looks at them gravely. “You can’t gallivant like a fucking idiot playing hero.”

  
“It’s my life. I’ll do whatever the fuck I want,” Kenny seethes.

  
“You can’t act like you’re the only one affected by your shitty decisions, Kenny.”

  
“Yeah?” Kenny laughs a little harshly. “I didn’t know you cared so much.”

  
“Of course I do, I fucking love you, asshole!”

  
He’s caught so off guard by the thought, he nearly misses it slipping out of his lips.  
Kenny stares at him, stunned. They step a little closer to their boyfriend, eyeing him closely. Their lips are parted in the cute way that Craig knows means their thinking. At five foot eight, Kenny isn’t short. However, they’re still forced to look up at bit since Craig’s six feet and still growing. Their cerulean eyes squint slightly. It’s so fucking cute that if he weren’t totally humiliated right now, Craig would be laughing. Instead, he averts his eyes to the grass.

  
Kenny refuses to let him look away, gently lifting his chin. “Say that again,” Kenny rasps.

  
“Why?” Craig is a defensive idiot, he realizes.

  
They take a deep breath, swallowing down a bit of bile in their throat. “Just checking if this is a dream or a dream come true.”

  
The raven haired boy chuckles softly, “you’re so cheesy.”

  
“Say it,” Kenny pulls him closer.

  
Craig sighs, he leans down, pecking Kenny’s lips in between words. “I. Love. You. Dillhole.”

  
They giggle profusely, “I love you too, Craigster.”

  
He perks up at the mention of his name. “You mean it?”

  
The blond’s smile softens, “of course I do. You and Tweek.”

  
“Good,” Craig hugs them tightly. “Tell anyone but Tweek about this and you’re dead.”

  
“Hear you loud and clear,” Kenny salutes before running off into the house.

  
xXx

  
Kenny’s lying on a shag carpet a week prior when they figure out they’re in love with Tweek. It’s the summer solstice and Kenny’s still shaking off a death from the day before. This time it was a reckless driver who ran them over. It was a relatively normal death.

  
They and Tweek have a system down at this point. Kenny dies and goes to find Tweek. When they’ve made sure to not give Tweek a heart attack by sneaking up on him, Kenny either asks Tweek to cover for them or hangs out with him or both. Whenever they have to go, they let Tweek know. Next time they get topside, Kenny goes to check on Karen first. Then they retreat to Tweek’s room for a while. It doesn’t matter when Kenny wakes up, Tweek’s window is always unlocked for them.

  
Kenny’s been napping on the carpet for most of the day. Deaths don’t happen as much as they used to, but now they hit the teen much harder. Death gets old, bothersome, and more painful with age. They hadn’t seen Tweek yet, but Kenny knew it was only a matter of time until his shift was over.

  
“Jesus,” Tweek sighs as he slams his door closed. He’s half-frantically ripping his clothes off as he mutters to Kenny about the shitty customers he encountered today.

  
He tosses two pillows off of his bed, one at Kenny’s face. It’s both affectionate, and checking that Kenny’s alive again. When he hears them cursing at him underneath the pillow, the younger sighs a little. He’s stripped down to just his boxer-briefs; his anxiety is still too suffocating. Tweek walks over Kenny to flip his ceiling fan on. When the air flow calms him a bit, he decides to take the pillow next to Kenny and nap already. Kenny turns on their side to face him. They burry their head in the crook of his neck. He holds them close, lazily twirling locks of their hair.

  
Tweek murmurs questions to Kenny. Some mundane things like “have you eaten yet today?” and “did you borrow clean clothes this time?” to peculiar inquiries about how was hell (presumably that’s where Kenny went this time) and who did they see. Kenny mutters back some less than enthused responses about eating soon and running into some singer.

  
“Our dates should stop involving me dying,” Kenny jokes.

  
“So this is a date huh,” Tweek tries not to sound cocky. But Kenny can see how confident being with them and Craig makes him.

  
They flick his temple playfully. “Shut up, cocksucker.”

  
“You seem to like it,” the younger banters. Tweek grins a little, so fucking pleased with himself.

  
Kenny shrugs, wrapping themselves further around Tweek. Tweek and Craig were different in many ways. One of them being how they interact with Kenny. Craig is like drunken sex, passionate and sloppy yet oh so purposeful. Tweek, on the other hand, is afternoon delights, warm and tender but equally spontaneous and fun. Kenny wonders briefly if their musings have more to do with their current boner than a poetic way to describe their affections. “Only because it’s you, and I taught you how to use that mouth wisely.”

  
Tweek responds to this praise with an enthusiastic, “yea?”

  
“Fuck yea,” Kenny smirks proudly. “So what do you wanna do?”

  
“Right now?” Tweek wrinkles his nose. He debates internally whether he’s up for sex right now. “I don’t know. Does it matter?”

  
“Nah, as long as it’s with you,” Kenny admits cheerfully.

  
“Movie?”

  
“Stream it for free?”

  
“Maybe,” Tweek mistrusts the government. He tends to veer away from activities that involve piracy since ‘that seems to be all they fucking care about anymore’. So for Tweek to not out-right deny Kenny, it’s a big deal.

  
Kenny’s eyes follow Tweek fumbling around his room, hooking up his laptop to the television his parents gave him for Christmas (after some not-too-subtle suggestions from Craig and Kenny). Kenny’s mind drifts back to something they’ve been considering all day. For all the shit that goes down in this town, Kenny admits to themselves, Craig and Tweek are always there for them. Always.

  
They care for Kenny, and not out of any sort of moral obligation or in return for good hand jobs or blow jobs (although Kenny’s pretty great at either). And the more they think about it, the more Kenny realizes that it’s not just a fact. It’s a feeling that washes over Kenny whenever they smell coffee grounds that stink up Tweek clothes for days or they taste Craig’s mom’s ceviche on his lips when they kiss.

  
It’s a feeling that encompasses Kenny’s very being. It’s something like  
“love,” Kenny mumbles to themselves.

  
Unfortunately, Tweek has excellent hearing and proceeds to whip around to stare incredulously at Kenny. “Come again?”

  
Kenny clears their throat, propping themselves up on their elbows they feel their face heat up. “I love you.”

  
Tweek pales, falling to his knees. He bites his lip, no clue what the fuck to say. Did he love Kenny? Probably? But he wasn’t ready for that kind of next-level relationship shit. Before he could spiral any further, however, he found himself being hugged fiercely by Kenny.

  
“Hey, breathe with me,” Kenny initiates eye contact. “One, two, three, four,” they say while inhaling slowly.

  
“Five, six, seven, eight,” Tweek responds while exhaling. Tweek had attempted for years to use deep breathing as a coping mechanism to bring him out of panic attacks. With Kenny and Craig’s help, he was working on centering himself better. It was hard to even count to five some days, so eight was a goal they continuously tried to meet.

  
Kenny kisses his nose. “You don’t have to say it back,” they assure the younger. “It won’t change how I feel.”

  
He nods shakily, smiling all the same. He was still freaked to high hell, but it's a good kind of rush. The kind that of instinct that a person feels when they’ve struck metaphorical gold.

  
xXx

Tweek is fourteen when he says I love you for the first time. His parents don’t count, obviously. He wondered for a long time if he was ever going to feel love. He thought for days after Kenny told him they loved him if he even understood the concept. They hadn’t been dating a full year yet, but there was that word. And then Craig started using it as if it were child’s play and not the biggest word in any relationship.

  
The three of them are in Tweek’s room with every intention of abusing his parent’s weekend trip to some resort in Breckenridge. Craig’s sucking on one of his nipples while Kenny’s messaging his balls with their mouth. He’s totally at bliss. He can barely think over the tingling sensation of cold lube dripping onto his dick. Kenny sits up, adjusting their position to have full control over Tweek’s member. They use one hand to rub his perineum, simultaneously working his balls in a circular motion. The other is teasing the tip of his penis, making sure to ever so slightly glide against his sensitive stomach.

  
Craig bites down on his left nipple. Tweek screams in ecstasy. The taller boy kisses the nub in apology, moving his hand to tweak the right one (pun intended). His mouth, meanwhile, moves up to suck the boy’s collar bone. He leaves hickies in his wake as he travels up the younger’s neck. Tweek’s trembling at this point, on the edge of one great orgasm.  
“You wanna try it now Tweekers?” Kenny asks, slowing their assault on his privates.

  
“Fuck,” Tweek moans. “Yes, do it.”

  
Kenny kisses his thigh working their way up to his entrance. They take the bottle of lube from Craig, coating their hand in the slick substance. Kenny thumbs Tweek’s hole, relaxing it. Craig kisses Tweek harshly, taking my over Kenny's role of stroking Tweek's cock. Slowly, Kenny eases a finger into the boy's hole.

  
“How’s this baby?” Kenny inquires.

  
“Good,” Tweek manages to grunt.

  
Craig recaptures his lips, murmuring “how about another?”

  
“Don’t think I can,” Tweek pants.

  
“That’s ok,” Kenny assures him. “Is this finger still good?”

  
Tweek nods vigorously. Kenny continues to thrust into him, achieving a rhythm with Craig’s ministrations. They continue, together, enjoying every delicious moan from the blond. When Tweek comes, he screams. Sweats dripping off his forehead, Craig works to kiss him dry. Kenny grabs a washcloth from the closet, gently wiping Tweek clean. This time was all for Tweek, and he couldn’t be happier.

  
Craig’s pulling the younger boy’s back against his chest as Kenny licks the last remaining drops of Tweek’s seed off of his stomach. Kenny then joins their cuddle, allowing Tweek the middle position in their three-person spoon. Tweek’s completely at ease, he thinks this is what joy is. Fuck, this is what love is like. It might not be as romantic as saving Craig’s sister, but this moment is Tweek’s. He can’t think of anywhere else he would rather be.

  
“I love you both,” he keeps his eyes closed, slightly afraid to see their reactions. Not that they haven’t said the same thing to him for weeks now. Mostly, he’s preparing himself for some well-deserved teasing.

  
Instead, though, Kenny nuzzles against his cheek while Craig nips lightly at the ear on his other side. Their gestures are a language the three of them have built together. They’re meeting Tweek’s love with their own adoration. He ponders briefly about how he was lucky to have not just one, but two people to love. If it weren't for his uncanny ability to see what others can't, he'd call it a miracle, even. But Tweek sees his good fortune for what it is, fate.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> South Park can be crazy, dangerous even. But you never know what tidings a new day might bring you.

It’s the last day of summer before Junior year. Tweek’s life has gotten a surprisingly comfortable rhythm to it. He still has no idea what the fuck he’s going to do about college (maybe get an associate’s degree in business or marketing for the shop) but at least his personal life hasn’t gone to shit in a while. South Park can be crazy, dangerous even. But you never know what tidings a new day might bring you.

  
Despite the blistering August heat, the weather forecast predicts light snow fall sometime this week. It isn’t uncommon to get random bouts of snow in Colorado. This fact doesn’t phase Tweek much, considering he tends to wear a flannel shirt year ‘round. It does, however, motivate him to carry some supplies in his backpack to Craig’s house in case the need to stay over arises. He’s walking through the business district, wondering if he forgot any of his summer homework at his house, when a giant crash startles him from behind. He lets out an ungodly yelp, jumping into a defensive pose facing the threat.

  
A harmonious laugh fills the air; he cracks an eye open. Of course, it’s none other than his significant other of almost three years, making a dramatic entrance by landing on a post box. Kenny McCormick, in all their puffed up glory, sporting their trade mark orange parka over a pink cocktail dress and doc martin’s.

  
“Jesus,” Tweek sighs in relief while uncurling his stance.

  
“No, I’m Kenny. But thanks for the compliment,” they smirk devilishly.

  
Fuck, Tweek should be pissed with them for scaring the shit out of him. But he’s not. Especially when they clearly dressed extravagantly for him. Well him and Craig, most likely. Craig’s into doing it in public, the kinky bastard.

  
“Ha ha,” the younger teen deadpans. “Come on asshole, we’re late.”

  
Kenny jumps off the mail box. “And the baby’s Craig’s!” They joke with a fake gasp, cracking themselves up. Their shoulder-length blonde hair frames their smile perfectly. Some days, like today, it’s as messy and frayed as Kenny’s disposition.

  
Tweek rolls his eyes, kissing Kenny’s temple as he grabs their hand. He pulls them onward to Craig’s place. “Bad day huh?”

  
Kenny’s cheerful antics dissipate. Their hand grips Tweek’s a little harder. Their normally silvery voice shakes a bit as they confess, “somedays I seriously wish I could ship Karen off to some rich aunt or something.” They suppress a sob before adding humorously, “Princess Diaries her life a little.”

  
Tweek hate seeing either of his lovers upset. However, Kenny sometimes needed an extra bit of affection. “Babe—”

  
“Tweekers,” the older deflects. Kenny hums a pop tune about finding your way home or some shit like that. They have an affinity for maneuvering people to their advantage. Sometimes Tweek forgets that Kenny is two inches shorter than him because of how proudly they carry themselves.

  
“Just—” Tweek sighs, scratching their head in anguish. It’s a bad habit he’s picked up over the last year. “I love you, ok? Don’t make the world your problem all the time.”

  
Kenny pulls his arm away from his scalp, reaching up to kiss his head. “Hear you loud and clear,” they promise hesitantly.

  
The sun overhead is elapsed by a passing cloud, flying ever so close to the mountain town. Kenny resumes their humming, skipping a step or two along the way. Tweek keeps their hands intertwined, trying his hardest not to comb the other’s body for any potential injuries. It wouldn’t be the first time Kenny got in a not-so-friendly argument with their father.

A heavy breeze passes them by, Tweek wonders if it’s relief from the heat or a sign of the storm to come.

  
Craig Tucker hates many things. Most of all, he hates August. It’s the hottest month of summer; there’s hardly any fun things to do; and school cuts real summer (not the school district’s shitty pseudo-calendar) in half. But worst of all, Craig hates getting sick in the middle of August. Ruby must have given him something from one of her pre-pubescent friends because he’s been feeling like pure shit.

  
He’s been lying in bed all day. The blankets and sheets of his bed were flung across the floor hours ago. The raven-haired teen is in nothing but his boxers, and he’s sweating a puddle onto his mattress. His entire body is experiencing a low-grade ache. The top layer of his skin is practically vibrating with heat. He groans pitifully when he hears his bedroom door creak open. His dorks finally showed up. But he can hardly pay attention for long enough to greet them, his head’s pounding itself into oblivion.

  
“Craig, Craig, Craigy-poo,” Kenny singsongs as they plop themselves onto his floor. Tweek’s not far behind with some snacks from the fridge.

  
“Wh-What? Fuck,” Craig distractedly rubs his forehead. “Did you seriously just call me that?”

  
“Yea,” the dirty blonde shrugs. “I’ll rework the concept for next time.”

  
“Don’t,” the older teen sits up as he chokes on his own perspiration, gross. “I already have enough nick-names from you to last a life time.”

  
“Seriously, Craig,” Kenny leans over the bed to feel his forehead. They frown, glancing over to Tweek who’s taken Craig’s desk chair. “Are you coming down with something? You look—”

  
“Like shit?” he finishes sarcastically for his significant other.

  
“I was going to say miserable. But hey, your words not mine,” Kenny laughs playfully.

  
“Yea it’s just a little bug,” Craig assures them. “It’ll pass.”

  
Kenny and Tweek differ to each other silently. Both seemingly at a loss for an answer. Tweek takes the lead, allowing Craig to pretend like everything’s ok, for now. A few hours later, the three are locked in a fifteen-stock round of Smash when Tweek notices Craig out of the corner of his eye.

  
He bites his lip, pausing the game suddenly. The blond whips around to face his boyfriend.

“Shit, are you sure you’re ok?”

  
“It’s no big deal, babe.” Craig pants, gripping his shorts roughly, visibly uncomfortable.

  
“No Tweek’s right, Angel-butt,” Kenny protests quietly. “You’re fucking glowing.”

  
“What?” The older boy looks down at himself. His skin is literally humming and turning a light blue. Craig yelps in fear.

  
“Calm down, Craig.” Kenny talks him down, tossing their controller to the side. “You have to keep breathing, don’t make any sudden movements alright?”

  
Craig nods, licking his lips a few times to distract himself.

  
Meanwhile Kenny gets up cautiously. Crawling onto their boyfriend’s bed, they hesitate for a moment. Once they touch his skin, they jump back clutching their hand. Upon opening it, their boyfriends can see that Kenny’s entire right hand is singed.

  
“Fuck,” Tweek gapes, moving closer to the other two. “What was that?”

  
“Pure energy,” Kenny answers. They gingerly keep their hand close to their body. “It’s like Craig’s a machine that’s about to overheat.”

  
Craig is caught between glaring in disbelief and kissing his significant other for maintaining a shred of sanity in this fucked-up town. “How would you even know about this?”

  
“Now’s not the time, Super Craig.” They scan the room frantically, observing every possible exit. “Shit, is anyone else home?”

  
“Just us,” Tweek confirms.

  
“Good, let me try drawing some of this power out.”

  
“Kenny,” the platinum blond protests.

  
“Tweek,” Kenny parlays. Their tone implying that they won’t be backing down on this.

  
“Don’t you dare,” Tweek points at them deadly serious. Normally, this would totally turn Kenny on.

  
“Well what else can we do?!” Kenny’s beyond exasperated. Someone (other than them) could die from whatever this is.

  
Craig interrupts their discussion with a low moan. A loud buzzing crescendos. “Whatever you two dipshits are fighting about, it’s getting worse by the second.”

  
“Fuck, Tweek, back up a little bit.” Kenny insists, bouncing from one foot to the other, ready for anything.

  
“No,” Tweek isn’t gonna stand idle by while Kenny dies…or worse.

  
Kenny’s losing all patience. They have to do this now. “Tweek!”

  
“I said goddam no, Ken,” the taller barks back.

  
Kenny sighs, clearly they’re not getting through to him about the severity of Craig glowing fucking blue. “Fine, but if I say duck and cover, get on the other side of that door. Got it?”

  
Tweek nods in agreement. Kenny turns back to a now-whimpering Craig. His eyes are wincing, if he could think over the obvious pain he’s in, Kenny assumes he’d be screaming at them for taking their ‘sweet time’ to fix this. Kenny wasting no more time, grabs both of Craig’s arms. Kenny feels an electrical storm surging through their veins. The energy is overwhelming, and slightly intoxicating. Its power booms exponentially the longer Kenny keeps their grip of Craig. The last thing they can see is a bright, explosive light coming from their lover.

  
The second Tweek sees the light, he bolts for the closet. Slamming the door just in time. He expects to hear some sort of boom or whoosh. Any sort of sound to indicate the vastness of the explosion he nearly became a part of. He curses to himself silently. He’ll have to apologize to Kenny later for not following their instructions better. When the light fades a few minutes later, Tweek counts to sixty. It’s something Kenny told him a long time ago about how to wait out threats. Once he ascertains that it’s safe enough, he stands up inch by inch. He slides the closet door open softly. Walking out, he tries to take in the entire room at once, checking for damage. Nothing seems different until his eyes find Craig’s. They’re blinded in tears, although still ajar. Tweek only then notices the sight of Kenny’s limp body cradled in Craig’s arms.

  
Craig Tucker is sixteen years old the first time he kills Kenny. And he doesn’t know what he did to deserve this hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this work. The next work in the series, Crystal Visions, is in progress. Thanks for reading!


End file.
